The automobile industry has come under attack for its failure to get a handle on low-carbon cars from the world’s leading environmental magazine.

Citing lower-resistance tyres and thinner engine oils as moves in the right direction, the Ecologist asks why the industry hasn’t done more to improve energy efficiency.

But tinkering with tyres is seen as the tip of the iceberg as the magazine throws the gauntlet before the motor industry with its cover story proclaiming: ‘The Car is Dead – Now Let’s Talk Sustainable Transport’.

‘Why can’t the automobile industry get a handle on low-carbon cars? The answer’s in the profit margins…’ states writer Harriet Williams.

She adds: ‘Drivers would save a lot of carbon and money if automakers applied their technological know-how to reducing fuel consumption. Instead, it has been used to add power and bulk, as well as peripheral accessories such as aircon or seat-back LCD screens – each one comprising a ‘parasitic’ fuel loss, in the language of auto engineers.’